History | Government of Gibraltar READ MORE 711 AD In April of the year 711 AD, following the death of the prophet Mohammed, Islamic conquest overran North Africa from Arabia. By 710 AD its spread had reached the shores of the strait and Europe braced for invasion. The Visgoths who had deposed the Romans and ruled Spain were weak and divided. The Visgothic Count Julian who ruled over Ceuta in North Africa was surrounded and he had a score to settle with his compatriots on the other side of the strait. So, to divert the Muslims, he offered to assist them in the conquest of Spain. The assault was down to a Berber chief, Tarik-ibn-Ziyad, the Governor of Tangier. He sailed across the strait by night, from Ceuta not Tangier so as not to arouse suspicion and used Visgothic ships. His first attempt on Algeciras failed but he was successful in landing undetected on Gibraltar. Following the Moslem General Tarik’s successful landing on the Rock, his forces before defeated the Gothic King Roderick and began the conquest of Spain.

Gibraltar became known as Jebal Tarik (Mountain of Tarik) from which it takes its present name. 1160 AD By the 11th Century AD Gibraltar was part of the Arab kingdom of Seville. The mounting threat of invasion fromNorth Africa sects forced the Arab Governor of Algeciras to build a fort in Gibraltar in 1068 AD. Spain is eventually overrun by another North African sect, the Almohads, and it was their leader, Abd-ad-Mummin, who commanded the building of the first city in Gibraltar in 1160 AD,Medinat al-Fath, the City of Victory. By all accounts, it was an impressive city. Upon its completion, Al - Mummin personally crossed the Strait to inspect the works;he stayed in Gibraltar for two months, inviting all his subordinate kings to see his achievement. 1309 AD Fighting continued amongst the Muslims, or between Muslims and Christians from 1160 and 1300 AD. By 1252 only two Islamic kingdoms remained in Spain, in Murcia and Granada.

By the year 1309, King Ferdinand IV had laid siege to Algeciras and, learning of Arab weaknesses on the Rock, sent Alonso Perez de Guzman to capture it. It was then that Gibraltar endured its own first siege. The Spaniards took the Upper Rock, from which they bombarded the town with cannon fire. The garrison surrendered after one month. Gibraltar had 1500 inhabitants and they were allowed to leave for North Africa. 1333 AD The Spaniards set about repairing the fortifications and shipyard, but few people wanted to settle in Gibraltar, by now considered to be anunsafe town. Ferdinand was forced to offer freedom from justice to anyone who lived in Gibraltar for one year and one day. By 1333 Gibraltar was once more in Muslim hands as Abdul Malik, son of the King of Morocco, laid siege. The garrison surrendered after four and a half months. 1374 AD Gibraltar became part of the Muslim Kingdom of Granada. 1462 AD Gibraltar was recaptured by Castilleto became part of the estates of the Duke of Medina Sidonia.

1492 AD The Catholic King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella conquered Granada, the last vestige of Muslim dominion in Spain. The Jews were expelled from Spain, with many passing through Gibraltar on their way into exile in North Africa. READ MORE 1502 AD Queen Isabella granted Gibraltar a coat of arms, a castle, which symbolised its importance as a fortress, and a key to highlight its position as the key to Spain, which it has held since the time of Moslem conquest. 1540 AD By the middle of the sixteenth century, a new kind of conflict had arisen as corsairs from the Barbary coast, under leadership of the infamous Barbarossa, hounded the region. In 1540 a large fleet of pirates assembled toraid the poorly defended Gibraltar. Years later, after mounting pressure from the Rock’s inhabitants, the Emperor Charles V ordered the Italian engineer Calvi to build a protective wall which would be extended to reach the top of the Rock in the reign of Philip II, some years later. 1606 AD The Moriscos (the descendants of the Moslem inhabitants in Spain) were expelled, many passing through Gibraltar on their way into exile in North Africa.

1704 AD On the 17th July 1704, a war council was held aboard the English warship Royal Catherine, off the North African coast. Four days later the English fleet, under Admiral Sir George Rooke, entered the Gibraltar Bay. At 3pm 1,800 English and Dutch marines landed on the isthmus, with the Dutch Prince Hesse at the head. Gibraltar was cut off but its then governor refused to surrender. The days that followed saw a massive bombardment of the town by the English fleet. On the morning of the 23rd July, 1,500 shots were fired within 6 hours. Landings took place in the south and in the morning of the 24th, the governor capitulated. The joint Anglo-Dutch force had captured Gibraltar, on behalf of Charles of Austria, a pretender to the throne of Spain. Shortly afterwards,a Spanish goatherd named Simon Susarte, led 500 Spanish troops to Europa Advance on the south-eastern side of the Rock and killed the guard. They moved to the Upper Rock and spent the night in St Michael's Cave, attacking the signal station the next morning.

But the alarm was raised and the English counter-attacked. 160 prisoners were taken including a colonel and thirty other officers; the rest were killed trying to escape. 1705 AD Gibraltar declared a 'free port', which leads to its development as an important international trading centre. 1707 AD The first British Governor was appointed, taking up residence in the Convent of the Franciscan Friars. 1713 AD Under the terms of the Treaty of Utrecht, Spain ceded Gibraltar to Britain in perpetuity. 1727 AD Skirmishes and attacks continued for a while but by 1726 AD, trading between Gibraltar and Spain had resumed. Early in 1727, the Spaniards laid the 13th siege on the Rock, but after several unsuccessful and costly attempts, theyrelented in June of the same year. 1779 AD to 1783 AD The final military siege on Gibraltar followed many years later, in 1779. The Spaniards and French joined forces to launch a massive onslaught, which lasted nearly four years. Known as the Great Siege, it tested the ingenuity and will to survive of the garrison.

The galleries were dug during this time, as Sergeant Major sought to create perfect gun placements. Later, a Lieutenant Koehler designed a carriage, which allowed guns mounted on the cliffs to be pointed directly downward at the enemy. Accounts of the siege are full of vivid stories of survival and daring. On the 21st November, 1781, the defenders of the garrison took the offensive and caught the enemy batteries on the isthmus by surprise, destroying them and pushing back their progress: this event is commemorated as the Sortie. 1782 AD Work starts on the Great Siege Tunnels, which became the vast and complex system of underground fortifications that today criss-cross the inside of the Rock. After the Siege, the fortifications were rebuilt and later the walls were lined with Portland stone, whichgave them their white appearance. 1784 AD The great yellow fever epidemic hit, killing over a third of the civilian population. 1810 AD The Spanish fortifications at the frontier were demolished. Britain and Spain are allied in war against Napoleon. Free access across the frontier was established. 1830 AD Gibraltar is declared a Crown Colony. The Royal Gibraltar Police is established.

1848 AD A skull was found in the Forbes's Quarry at the foot of the sheer north face of the Rock. Unbeknownst at the time but it belonged not to a modern human, but to a prehistoric variant. It was sent to the UK where it was conserved. Eight years later in the Neander Valley near Dusseldorf in Germany, another was found giving this human its name. What might have beenthe‘Gibraltar Man’, became the ‘Neanderthal Man’. 1894 AD READ MORE 1940 AD The outbreak of the Second World War caused the civilian population to be evacuated to Britain, Jamaica and Madeira, so that Gibraltar could be fortified against the German attack. By 1942 there are over 30,000 British soldiers, sailors and airmen on the Rock. The repatriation of the civilians started in 1944 and continued for six years, although the majority had returned by 1946. 1950 AD Gibraltar's first legislative council was opened. 1967 AD A referendum was held and the Gibraltarians overwhelmingly vote to continue their association with Britain.

1969 AD Franco closed the frontier in pursuit of his claim for Gibraltar. 1982 AD In 1982, ships were refitted for the Falklands campaign and Gibraltar became a stopover for ships and troops. Spain reopened the frontier for pedestrians only. 1985 AD The frontier with Spain was opened fully. Gibraltar's trade and population thrived. Its inhabitants lived harmoniously in a peaceful and unique multi-cultural society. 1991 AD As in 1982, Gibraltar served a similar function during the Gulf War. The Rock, the beacon that attracted Gibraltarians through the ages, retains its power and charms as it looks towards the 21st Century. Gibraltar | British overseas territory, Europe | Britannica.com British overseas territory, Europe Sir James Craig Gibraltar, British overseas territory occupying a narrow peninsula of Spain’s southern Mediterranean coast, just northeast of the Strait of Gibraltar , on the east side of the Bay of Gibraltar (Bay of Algeciras ), and directly south of the Spanish city of La Línea .

It is 3 miles (5 km) long and 0.75 mile (1.2 km) wide and is connected to Spain by a low, sandy isthmus that is 1 mile (1.6 km) long. Its name is derived from Arabic: Jabal Ṭāriq (Mount Tarik), honouring Ṭāriq ibn Ziyād , who captured the peninsula in 711. Gibraltar is a heavily fortified British air and naval base that guards the Strait of Gibraltar, which is the only entrance to the Mediterranean Sea from the Atlantic Ocean . Since the 18th century, Gibraltar has been a symbol of British naval strength, and it is commonly known in that context as “the Rock.” The Rock of Gibraltar. Gibraltar. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. With the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869, Gibraltar increased in strategic importance, and its position as a provisioning port was greatly enhanced . Since World War II the British military garrison and naval dockyard have continued to be an important part of Gibraltar’s economy, and naval operations of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) often use the port facilities.

The Rock of Gibraltar is considered one of the two Pillars of Heracles (Hercules); the other has been identified as one of two peaks in northern Africa: Mount Hacho , near the city of Ceuta (the Spanish exclave on the Moroccan coast), or Jebel Moussa (Musa), in Morocco . The Pillars—which, according to Homer, were created when Heracles broke the mountain that had connected Africa and Europe—defined the western limits of navigation for the ancient Mediterranean world. Area 2.25 square miles (5.8 square km). Pop. (2007 est.) 29,257. Land Isle of Man The peninsula consists of a limestone and shale ridge (the Rock), which rises abruptly from the isthmus to 1,380 feet (421 metres) at Rock Gun, its northernmost summit. Its highest point, 1,396 feet (426 metres), is attained near its southern end. The Rock shelves down to the sea at Great Europa Point, which faces Ceuta. From the Mediterranean Sea, Gibraltar appears as a series of sheer, inaccessible cliffs, fronting the sea on the peninsula’s east coast.

The Rock’s slope is more gradual on its western side and is occupied by tier upon tier of houses that stretch for some 300 feet (90 metres) above the old defensive walls. Higher up, limestone cliffs almost isolate the Upper Rock, which is covered with a tangle of wild trees. Gibraltar has no springs or rivers. An area of sand slopes above Catalan and Sandy bays has been sheeted over to provide a rain-catchment area, which was once the sole source of potable water for Gibraltar. The water was stored in a number of tanks blasted into the Rock. The rainwater was then blended with water pumped from wells on the isthmus or distilled from the sea. The catchment ceased to be used as a source of potable water in the 1990s, when a desalinization plant built in the 1980s was expanded, but it still is used as a service reservoir. Gibraltar has hot, humid, and almost rainless summers; mild winters during which there is usually adequate rain; and warm, moderately rainy, transitional seasons. The territory is subject to strong easterly winds. There are more than 500 species of small flowering plants on Gibraltar.

The Gibraltar candytuft is a flower native only to the Rock. Wild olive and pine trees grow on the Upper Rock. Mammals include rabbits, foxes, and Barbary macaques (often erroneously identified as apes). Barbary macaques have roamed the Rock for hundreds of years and are Europe’s only wild monkeys. Although free to wander, they are generally seen on the Upper Rock. The macaques were once protected by the British army in Gibraltar, and, according to legend , British dominion over the Rock will cease when these animals are no longer present; their protection is now the responsibility of the Gibraltar Ornithological and Natural History Society. Migratory birds are common, and Gibraltar is the home of the only specimens of Barbary partridge in Europe. People EU Considers Rules For Robots About four-fifths of the population are Gibraltarians, which includes those born in Gibraltar before 1925 and their descendants, as well as the spouses of Gibraltarians. The remainder are resident aliens and the families of British military personnel. Most Gibraltarians are of mixed Genoese, British, Spanish, Maltese, and Portuguese descent.

Moroccans and Indians predominate among the resident aliens. British Culture and Politics About four-fifths of Gibraltarians are Roman Catholic. The Anglican bishopric also covers communities in southern Europe, mainly in Spain’s Costa del Sol. The small Jewish community is of Sephardic descent. English is the official language of government and education, though most Gibraltarians are bilingual in English and Spanish, and many speak an English dialect known as Yanito (Llanito), which is influenced by Spanish, Genoese, and Hebrew. Economy Because of lack of space on the peninsula, there is no agriculture. There is a small amount of light industry—tobacco, beverages, canning—but the main sources of income are the provisioning of ships and military personnel, tourism, and the re-export trade. Tourism was stimulated through the large-scale expansion of hotel and beach facilities and gambling casinos. The port facilities occupy most of the western shore and a portion of land reclaimed from the sea. Income taxes and customs duties produce most of Gibraltar’s revenue. The United Kingdom supplies a significant amount of development aid. Principal expenditures include social services, public works, and municipal services.

Gibraltar joined the European Economic Community (later succeeded by the European Union [EU]) with the United Kingdom in 1973. The monetary unit is the Gibraltar pound . Passenger and cargo vessels stop at Gibraltar’s port, and ferries cross daily to Tangier , Morocco. Gibraltar has an international airport, and regular flights link the territory to London , Tangier, and many other destinations. The peninsula has a road system and a system of tunnels within the Rock for vehicular traffic. A cable car ascends to the central summit of the ridge. As the United Kingdom is not party to the Schengen Agreement , the crossing between La Linea and Gibraltar is one of the few remaining controlled internal borders in western Europe. Government Facebook Twitter YouTube Instagram Pinterest Gibraltar is an overseas territory of the United Kingdom and is self-governing in all matters but defense. Its constitution was established by the Gibraltar Constitution Order in 1969, which provided for a House of Assembly consisting of the speaker (appointed by the governor), 15 members elected to four-year terms, and 2 ex-officio members.

(A new Constitution Order was approved by referendum in November 2006 and was implemented in January 2007; it renamed the House of Assembly as the Gibraltar Parliament and increased its number of members to 17.) In 1981 Gibraltarians were granted full British citizenship. Gibraltarians age 18 or older and British civilians resident for more than six months are entitled to vote. The governor, appointed by the British sovereign , is the head of the executive Gibraltar Council and appoints the Council of Ministers, composed of the chief minister and other ministers, from the party or coalition of parties that gains a majority of seats in the Gibraltar Parliament. Instead of a city council, one minister is responsible for municipal affairs. Education is free and compulsory between ages 5 and 15. Educational facilities include several government primary schools and two comprehensive secondary schools. There are also private and military institutions, a school for children with disabilities, and a technical college. History Excavations of limestone caves in the Rock have revealed that Gibraltar was sporadically inhabited from prehistoric times.

The Muslim commander Ṭāriq ibn Ziyād captured Gibraltar in 711, and the site was thereafter held as a fortress by all its successive occupiers. The Muslim occupation was permanently ended by the Spanish in 1462, and Isabella I annexed Gibraltar to Spain in 1501. But in 1704, during the War of the Spanish Succession , Sir George Rooke captured Gibraltar for the British, and Spain formally ceded it to Britain under the terms of the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713. The Spanish nevertheless made several attempts to retake Gibraltar from Britain, most notably in a protracted but unsuccessful military siege that lasted from 1779 to 1783. In 1830 Gibraltar became a British crown colony. The opening of the Suez Canal (1869) heightened British determination to keep possession of Gibraltar, since the Mediterranean was the main route to Britain’s colonies in East Africa and southern Asia.

Britannica Lists & Quizzes Editor Picks: Exploring 10 Types of Basketball Movies Early in the 20th century the Rock was tunneled to facilitate communication between the peninsula’s east and west sides, and the excavated material was used to reclaim 64 acres (26 hectares) from the sea and thus expand the area of the cramped settlement. Gibraltar was a vital repair and assembly point for Allied convoys during the World Wars. Map of Gibraltar (c. 1900), from the 10th edition of Encyclopædia … Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. In the 1960s the Spanish government stepped up its demands for the “decolonization” of Gibraltar. A referendum in Gibraltar in 1967 gave residents a choice of opting either for Spanish sovereignty or for continued close association with Britain; the result was an overwhelmingly pro-British vote (12,138 votes to 44). The new constitution that Britain introduced for Gibraltar in 1969 explicitly reaffirmed Gibraltar’s link with Britain while also granting it full internal self-government.

Spain responded by closing its border with Gibraltar, thus depriving the territory of its Spanish trade and a labour force of Spanish commuters. Spain lifted its border blockade in 1985. The status of Gibraltar has remained a source of friction between the Spanish and British governments. In a nonbinding referendum in 2002 recognized by neither government, 99 percent of Gibraltar’s voters rejected joint British-Spanish sovereignty . Gibraltar subsequently was allowed by both governments to represent itself in negotiations on its future. Vicente Rodriguez In 2004 the creation of the Trilateral Forum of Dialogue , bringing together representatives of the governments of Britain, Spain, and Gibraltar, helped to ease tensions. On July 21, 2009, a trilateral meeting in Gibraltar marked the first time since 1704 that a Spanish minister visited the territory. In August 2013 a dispute over fishing rights led the Spanish government to increase border controls on Gibraltar; the United Kingdom criticized the move as a violation of EU laws governing freedom of movement. BBC News - What are the competing claims over Gibraltar? What are the competing claims over Gibraltar?

By Vanessa Barford BBC News Magazine Three hundred years after Spain ceded Gibraltar to Great Britain, tensions between the two countries have resurfaced in a dispute apparently over an artificial reef and onerous border searches. The UK has always insisted Gibraltar is rightfully British. The Spanish government maintains the territory should pass back. But what are the details of each side's legal, historical and geographical claims for sovereignty? The disputed territory The UK's view of Gibraltar Who's had it longer? From AD711 to 1462 Gibraltar was under Moorish rule, like most of Spain. Spain (initially Castile) controlled the territory from 1462 to 1704. Its political status between 1704 and 1713 was that of a territory occupied by allied Anglo-Dutch forces during the War of the Spanish Succession. Gibraltar's sovereign status between 1713 and 1880 was that of a territory taken by right of conquest, but legitimised in the form of a cession to the British (Article X, Treaty of Utrecht, 1713, Appendix I).

Anglo-Dutch forces captured the fortress of Gibraltar in 1704, during the War of the Spanish Succession. It was formally ceded to the British in perpetuity under Article X of the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713. The Gibraltar territory was designated a Crown Colony in 1830 and was listed as such by the UN in 1946. In 1964, the Gibraltar Constitution was introduced and promulgated in 1969, stipulating that sovereign status would not be changed without the consent of Gibraltar's people. What's the geography? What's the legal position? Spain believes Gibraltar was taken in the context of a Spanish dynastic dispute and contests UK sovereignty over the entire peninsula. It also insists the cession in the Treaty of Utrecht 1713 did not include the isthmus with the airport on it and territorial waters. Spain cites the UN principle of territorial integrity, through UN Resolution 1514 (XV) - which says "any attempt at the partial or total disruption of the national unity and the territorial integrity of a country is incompatible with the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations".

It also argues two resolutions passed in the 1960s under the UN Principles of Decolonisation - ( 2231 (XXI), Question of Gibraltar and 2353 (XXII), Question of Gibraltar ), mean territorial integrity takes precedence over Gibraltar's right to self-determination. The UK notes that Gibraltar was ceded by Spain in the Treaty of Utrecht 1713, giving "the full and entire propriety of the town and castle of Gibraltar, together with the port, fortifications, and forts there unto belonging... forever, without any exception or impediment whatsoever". It cites longevity of occupation, and argues the UN principle of territorial integrity, as per UN Resolution 1514 (XV) does not override the principle of self-determination. The same resolution says: "All peoples have the right to self-determination; by virtue of that right they freely determine their political status." "Gibraltar is much bigger than it was in 1713 - some of the runway and housing on the west side is built on reclaimed land, and the Treaty says nothing about reclaimed land, or territorial waters," says Dr Chris Grocott, lecturer in economic history at Leicester University.

What about self-determination? Spain also argues two resolutions passed in the 1960s under the UN Principles of Decolonisation do not recognise Gibraltar's right to self-determination. It says Resolution 2231 focuses on the "interests" and not the "wishes" of the people of Gibraltar. Dr Gerry O'Reilly, a senior lecturer in geography and international affairs at Dublin City University, says up to the 1990s, Spain viewed the population of Gibraltar as "a community artificially created from heterogeneous origins since 1713 by colonial processes" rather than indigenous, and therefore thought it did not fulfil criteria for any form of nationhood that could be interpreted as giving a right to UN "national'" self-determination principles. However, since 2002 Spain has offered the people of Gibraltar the constitutional status of an autonomous region/community within the Spanish state, he says. There was a referendum in Gibraltar in 1967, which called on both Spain and the UK to take into account the "interests" of the people of Gibraltar.

In it 12,138 of the 12,237 voters chose "voluntarily to retain their links with the UK". The referendum was condemned by the UN General Assembly, and not recognised by any international body or state. The UK promulgated the Gibraltar Constitution Order in 1969, in which it was stated that: "Her Majesty's government will never enter into negotiations under which the people of Gibraltar would pass under the sovereignty of another state against their democratically expressed wishes." Gibraltar's view: In the 2002 sovereignty referendum, voters overwhelmingly rejected a plan to share sovereignty over Gibraltar between the UK and Spain. Gibraltar believes the right of self determination was given to it by the UK in 1960, and that the UN Charter enshrines the right to self-determination of all colonial peoples. What about Ceuta and Melilla? Spain says the situation with Ceuta and Melilla is completely different from that of Gibraltar. Both territories are part of Spain itself, not an Overseas Territory like Gibraltar. Both have been in Spanish hands since the 16th Century, centuries before the modern state of Morocco was born.

Spain claims them on historical grounds, for national security reasons and UN territorial integrity of the state principles. It stresses the majority of residents are Spanish. But O'Reilly says any lasting resolution of Spanish and UK sovereignty issues must also take cognizance of the Spanish-Moroccan territorial dispute on the southern shore. For Morocco, resolution of the Anglo-Spanish issue should set a precedent for a resolution of the Moroccan-Spanish sovereignty dispute in relation to the Plazas. Spain retains five territories in north Africa - Ceuta, Melilla, Penon de Velez de la Gomera, Alhucemas and the Chafarinas Islands. Ceuta and Melilla are the most famous. Both are claimed by Morocco, which has compared the situation to Spain's claim to Gibraltar. Both territories are on the Moroccan coast. The population of both Ceuta and Melilla wish to remain Spanish. Morocco argues that the UN principles of decolonisation must be applied; that Spanish military bases there threaten Moroccan security; and that the UN territorial integrity principles also apply. But, despite the strong parallel, the UK doesn't bring up Ceuta and Melilla to reinforce the case for the continuation of the status quo for Gibraltar.

Are there any other underlying reasons? Some have suggested Spain is looking to divert attention from its own economic woes, or to use the possible new restrictions to give itself a bargaining chip. Spain has denied this. It has accused Gibraltar of being a corporate tax haven, allowing companies and wealthy individuals to avoid paying millions. Spain also believes the border is being abused and draining Spanish resources. Smuggling - cigarette smuggling in particular - is one bugbear, as is the alleged circumventing of Spanish residency taxes. Fishing rights are another point of contention, with both sides complaining about incursions. Although Gibraltar is small, it is strategically important, standing at the mouth of the Mediterranean. O'Reilly argues its location on the Strait gives it access to one of the three most vital arteries in the world in terms of commercial shipping, oil transportation and military-related transport. The UK's military base has historically been of huge significance - controlling virtually all naval traffic in and out of the Mediterranean Sea and Atlantic in WWII. The naval dockyard once dominated the economy. But according to Grocott, Gibraltar is now less militarily significant. Tourism is one of the four sectors that dominate the economy today - with most visitors coming from the UK.

Then there's the tax system which has attracted financial services firms. What do leaders say? Spanish PM Mariano Rajoy has said he hopes talks with the UK will end the current row over Gibraltar but he's prepared to "take legal measures to defend the interests of Spanish citizens". Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Garcia-Margallo has declared "the party's over". He threatened to charge motorists 50 euros (£43) for crossing the border, impose flight restrictions and investigate the tax status of 6,000 Gibraltarians who have properties in Spain. On recent occasions new, rigorous border checks have resulted in six-hour queues. There have also been reports that Spain may take the row to the UN. Prime Minister David Cameron has said he is very clear that the UK "will always stand up for the people of Gibraltar". He said a phone conversation with Spanish PM Mariano Rajoy over the Gibraltar border checks delays row was "constructive", and he had called because of "serious concerns". Gibraltar's view: Gibraltar's chief minister Fabian Picardo has accused Spain of "sabre-rattling like North Korea". What do commentators say?

ABC, like many Spanish papers, is wary about the arrival of three British warships in Gibraltar, which it calls a "naval base that justifies a colony". The paper notes the strength of the British military presence and Gibraltarian opposition to Spanish actions. El Mundo says that long queues at the border are also hurting people living in the Spanish border town of La Linea, especially those close to the frontier gate. After a "relatively quiet" weekend, it expects more tensions as tourists flock towards Gibraltar and the warships loom on the horizon. The Financial Times' Kiran Stacey says the row is a reminder of how Britain's remaining colonial outposts can cause friction with allies and headaches in Whitehall. "Gibraltar is unique in its potential to cause strife with an EU ally," it says. It shouldn't get to a stage that it infects all other parts of the bilateral relationship. The Economist thinks the latest confrontation will prevent a settlement for yet another generation. You can follow the Magazine on Twitter and on Facebook More on This Story Campaign posters warn women not to inflict smoke on their unborn children.

Share this page The History of Gibraltar and how it came to be British By Ben Johnson | Comments The six square kilometres of the Rock of Gibraltar are steeped in history, from the very beginning around 100,000 years ago when primitive humans and Neanderthals fished the shoreline and inhabited the limestone caves, to visiting Phoenician and later Roman sea farers. It was the Moors of Tarek ibn Ziyad however that first settled the Rock in 711AD, and since then, this much-prized site and its people have witnessed many sieges and battles over the centuries. The position of Gibraltar guarding the entrance to the Mediterranean is unrivalled, and has for many years been fought over by Spain, France and Britain, all claiming possession. Gibraltar was captured by the British Fleet in 1704 during the war of the Spanish Succession. On 4th August 1704, an Anglo-Dutch fleet under the command of Admiral George Rooke took Gibraltar from the Spanish. From dawn on that day and for the next five hours, some 15,000 canons were fired from the fleet into the city.

The invaders, led by the English majority, landed the same morning and not surprisingly encountered little opposition. Under the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713 Gibraltar was ceded to Britain. This treaty stated "the town, castle and fortifications were to be held and enjoyed for ever without any exception or impediment whatsoever." This treaty was renewed again in 1763 by the Treaty of Paris, and in 1783 by the Treaty of Versailles. But of course that hasn't stopped other countries trying to seize Gibraltar over the centuries. As Spain waited for an opportunity to retake the Rock, sieges became a common occurrence for Gibraltar. In 1726, war was about to break out as Spanish forces were massed round the Rock. Unfortunately the defences were not in good repair and the garrison only numbered 1,500 men. After a siege and heavy bombardment by the Spanish (during which their guns blew-up and the gun-barrels began to droop), a truce was declared in 1727. In 1779, what became known as the Great Siege began and the numerous tunnels that are a feature of the Rock are a legacy from this time.

This siege lasted from 1779-1783 and reached its climax in 1782. The Spanish planned an attack from the sea and land, preceded by a heavy bombardment. The Spanish ships were carefully prepared with wet sand and wet cork between the timbers and a sprinkler system to put out fires caused by red-hot shot. However this did not work and by the end of the attack on 13th September, the Bay was 'lit-up' by burning ships. During this long siege the Gibraltarians suffered greatly through lack of food. General Eliott was the Governor at this time; he had arrived at the Rock in 1776 and showed himself to be a great leader and planner. As an example to his men he lived on 4 ounces of rice a day when the siege was at its height. It was during this siege that a Lieutenant Koehler solved the problem of how to fire the cannons from a steep angle of depression, from high up on the Rock down onto the besieging forces. Lieutenant Shrapnel, another of the garrison at that time, developed the ammunition that still bears his name.

The numerous tunnels that are still in use today were the responsibility of a Sergeant-Major Ince, and these tunnels made it possible for the guns to bear down onto the Mediterranean shore. Sergeant-Major Ince may have made better tunnels than he realised as they were used for the same purpose, gun emplacements, in the Second World War, and were invaluable to the Allied Forces. The British had between 5,500 and 7,000 men and only 96 guns during the Great Siege, and the Spanish and French forces numbered 40,000 men and 246 guns. As the British didn't surrender, hostilities finally ceased in February 1783…. a great triumph for General Eliott! Gibraltar has always been part of British history. Admiral Lord Nelson and the Fleet visited Gibraltar in May 1805, and after the nearby Battle of Trafalgar in October of that year, Nelson's body, embalmed in a cask of wine, was brought ashore at Rosia Bay to be returned to England for burial.

In the Trafalgar Cemetery there are several members of Nelson's crew buried there and many members of the Garrison, as at this time there was also an epidemic of Yellow Fever resulting in 1,000 deaths. Gibraltar's unique position proved invaluable during World War II . Most of the civilian population were evacuated, except for 4,000 who fought with great courage to defend the freedom of the Rock. There is an old superstition that if the Apes leave the Rock; the British will go as well. Sir Winston Churchill made sure during World War II that the number of Apes was kept up. He even had some Apes, so it is rumoured, brought out from Africa to maintain their numbers. In 1968 a Referendum was taken on whether the people of Gibraltar wanted to remain with Britain or with Spain. 12,762 voted to stay with Britain and ONLY 44 voted for Spanish sovereignty. Whether Gibraltar will remain a British rock however appears another question! Recent events have suggested that the current British government may want to abandon the Treaty of Utrecht and subject the 30,000 people of Gibraltar to Spanish rule against their will.

In the recent referendum (November 2002) the people of Gibraltar again showed their desire to remain British by an overwhelming margin. The Chief Minister of Gibraltar Peter Caruana eloquently summed up the feeling of the its people when he commented “There is more chance of hell freezing over than the people of Gibraltar accepting Spanish sovereignty in any shape or form.” The Economist explains: Why is Gibraltar a British territory? | The Economist Why is Gibraltar a British territory? Aug 7th 2013, 23:50 Tweet SPAIN is protesting to Britain again about a certain rocky outcrop at the neck of the Mediterranean. Gibraltar, a 2.6 square mile (6.7 square kilometre) peninsula that is home to about 30,000 people, is a British territory to which Spain has long laid claim. This week the old argument resurfaced as Spanish officials toughened border inspections, slowing traffic to a crawl, and Spain’s foreign minister threatened a €50 ($67) charge on crossings, to the alarm of locals on both sides of the border.

The measures were apparently in response to the Gibraltar government’s decision to sink spiked concrete blocks into the sea to fend off Spanish fishermen, whom it accuses of poaching Gibraltarian fish. Perhaps more relevant, the Spanish government is desperate to change the subject from an ongoing party-funding scandal , which has threatened to engulf Mariano Rajoy, the prime minister. A phone call between Mr Rajoy and David Cameron, the prime minister of Britain, on August 7th apparently defused tensions somewhat. But why is Gibraltar, which lies 1,000 miles south of London, a British territory in the first place? The days when the sun never set on the British empire are long gone. But Britain retains 14 “Overseas Territories”, spread around the world from the Pacific to the South Atlantic. With the exception of the British Antarctic Territory, a wedge of wilderness populated by a few scientists and many penguins, they are tiny specks. The Pitcairn Islands, which lie roughly half way between New Zealand and Peru, are home to about 50 people; Bermuda, the most populous of the Territories, has only about 65,000 residents. Many, including Gibraltar, have been home to Royal Navy bases.

These days they are more likely to earn their keep through tourism and offshore finance . Gibraltar was ceded to Britain following the War of the Spanish Succession of 1701-14. Charles II of Spain, who was known as “The Bewitched” because of his severe physical and mental disabilities, died in 1700 without an heir. It was unclear who should succeed him, and so Europe’s great powers began to push their own preferred candidates. War soon broke out, and in August 1704 British soldiers, fighting alongside Dutch allies, captured the Rock, as Gibraltar is known. The war continued until 1713, when the Treaty of Utrecht determined that Philip V, a grandson of the king of France, would inherit the Spanish throne. As part of the deal some Spanish territories were dished out to other countries. Britain got Gibraltar, as well as Minorca, which changed hands several times before being returned to Spain as part of the Treaty of Amiens in 1802. Gibraltar has remained under British control ever since, in spite of various attempts to take it back, including an unsuccessful siege by Spain that lasted for nearly four years until 1783.

Under the dictatorship of General Francisco Franco, Spain shut its border with Gibraltar entirely; it was reopened fully only ahead of Spain’s accession to the European Union in 1985. Fishing boats aside, no further invasions are likely. But Spain continues to claim Gibraltar as its own . Those who live on the Rock disagree: referendums in 1967 and 2002 were almost unanimous in their support for maintaining British sovereignty . Britain looks likely to keep its scrap of Mediterranean coastline for now. It may be just as well for Spain: if Britain were to hand over Gibraltar, the Catalans , who lost their autonomy to Spain in the aftermath of the Treaty of Utrecht, might consider it an interesting precedent. Spain lost Gibraltar 300 years ago today: it should get over it - Telegraph Spain lost Gibraltar 300 years ago today: it should get over it By John Keegan, Defence Editor 12:01AM BST 04 Aug 2004 The Spanish world seems to have a talent for diplomatic grievance, prolonged beyond the point where even well-wishers lose patience. Argentina's obsession with possession of the Falklands is a case in point.

Motherland Spain's refusal to accept Britain's rights over Gibraltar is another. The Spanish have recently been at it again, protesting about celebrations of the 300th anniversary of the British capture of the Rock, at the Princess Royal's visit and at a British frigate firing an 18-gun salute. Diplomatically, there is no doubt about Britain's right to Gibraltar. It was captured in a fair fight in 1704 during the War of the Spanish Succession and ceded by Spain to Britain as one of the terms of the Treaty of Utrecht that ended the war in 1713. Spain made several attempts to recapture the Rock, particularly during the Great Siege of 1779-82, but all failed. Gibraltar became the most important outpost of British naval power in the Mediterranean at the end of the 18th century, the base from which Nelson launched his campaign to defeat the French at the Nile in 1798 and to overwhelm the Franco-Spanish fleet at Trafalgar in 1805. And 22 years ago it was a vital staging post for parts of the task force on the way to the Falklands.

During the 19th century, the Rock, originally barren and uninhabited, acquired a population, now 30,000-strong, which was not Spanish at all. Though most Gibraltarians speak a dialect of Spanish, as well as colloquial English, they are of very varied origin, descending from North African Sephardic Jews and the offspring of British soldiers and sailors. Gibraltar town is as British as Portsmouth. The shops sell British newspapers and British confectionery, the policemen dress like British bobbies, the taxi drivers banter in British catchphrases. Despite the determination of the Gibraltarians to remain British, successive Westminster governments have made determined efforts to placate Spanish resentments over Gibraltar. Even during the Franco years, when there were serious constitutional objections over the transfer of sovereignty from a local democracy to a foreign dictatorship, Britain proposed the idea of joint sovereignty. It also used its good offices to smooth the path for Spain's entry both into Nato and the then EEC. Those favours have been forgotten. Spain's new socialist government is now advancing familiar claims and uttering ancient objections. It seems unlikely that it could be placated even by the arrangement of joint sovereignty.

Spain wants Gibraltar back, as part of the national territory, however much the Gibraltarians object. There are good reasons why the British Government is unwilling to agree. The most important are the wishes of the Gibraltarians themselves. They convincingly deny that they are Spanish and insist that they wish to preserve the status they currently enjoy. In 2002, in an unofficial referendum, which both Britain and Spain refused - shamefully - to recognise, 98 per cent of voters rejected a proposal for joint sovereignty on an 88 per cent turnout. This echoed the official 1967 referendum, in which 12,138 voted against becoming part of Spain, and 44 voted in favour. Beyond the democratic argument, however, there are vital strategic considerations. Gibraltar commands one of the most important waterways in the world, the entry into and exit from the Mediterranean. It is policed by the Royal Navy and effectively so, despite recent and projected reductions in British naval strength. Yet there is a manifest threat to safe passage through the Gibraltar Strait levelled by Islamic terrorists based in Morocco.

The Kingdom of Morocco is stalwartly anti-terrorist, but that is no guarantee against terrorists operating by clandestine means from remote bases, as recent attacks on American and French ships in Arabian waters demonstrate. The British naval presence is far more reassuring. Spain's military capacity to police the western Mediterranean against Islamic attacks is questionable. The new socialist government's firmity of purpose has been called into question by its withdrawal of Spanish troops from Iraq following the al-Qa'eda attack on the Madrid railway station earlier this year. Both the Spanish navy and air force are deficient in effective operational units, even if the government's political will to act with determination was evident, which it is not. The new Spanish prime minister has shown that he believes Spain is better protected by appeasement of terrorist enemies than by an offensive response. Britain, and the Gibraltarians, have good reason to fear that appeasement merely encourages organisations such as al-Qa'eda to redouble their efforts. No doubt it irritates the Spanish, that a part, however small, of its contiguous territory is not under the control of its national government. The situation, however, is not unique, and other countries seem able to live equably with similar anomalies.

Sweden, for example, accepts Finnish sovereignty over the off-shore Aland Islands, though their population is only Swedish. Denmark, after several wars with Germany, today accepts German sovereignty over Schleswig-Holstein, where much of the population is Danish-speaking. Perhaps most pertinently, Spain itself regards the enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla, both in North Africa and claimed by Morocco, as an integral part of its own territory. Closer to home, France, the most nationalistic of nations, makes no claim at all to the Anglo-Norman Islands known to the British as the Channel Islands, though they lie almost within French territorial waters. Rational argument has little part to play where deep nationalist emotions operate. Nevertheless, the Spanish ought to accept that, while their non-Spanish neighbours in Gibraltar refuse to join the Spanish kingdom, there is no point in persisting with their traditional claims. The War of the Spanish Succession was over 300 years ago. There is no reason to revive it.

JCR-UK: Jewish Community of Gibraltar Page created by David Shulman: 7 November 2011 Latest revision or update: 16 February 2016 Jewish Community of Gibraltar The Rock of Gibraltar Gibraltar (often referred to affectionately as the Rock or Gib) is an overseas territory of the UK, occupying a narrow peninsula protruding from Spain's southern Mediterranean coast. It was captured from Spain in 1704 and formally ceded to the Kingdom of Great Britain (later the United Kingdom), in perpetuity, under the terms of the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713. Gibraltar became a British Crown Colony in 1830. In 1981, its status was changed to that of a "British Dependent Territory", which term was replaced by "British Overseas Territory" in 2002. Gibraltar is part of the European Union and Gibraltarians have full British citizenship. The Gibraltar Jewish Community It is believed that there were Jews in Gibraltar prior to its capture in 1462 by Spanish (Castilian) forces, which ended 700 years of Moorish rule.

In 1474, Gibraltar was sold to a group of Jewish conversos (Spanish and Portuguese Jews who, generally under force, had converted to Catholicism). However, two years later, the conversos (estimated to number some 4,350) were expelled as part of the Spanish Inquisition. In 1705, shortly following the capture of Gibraltar by Anglo-Dutch forces, a number of Jewish merchants (primarily from London, Lisbon, Livorno and Tetuan, Morocco) settled in the town and established a community, only to be expelled in 1717, at Spain's insistence, pursuant to the terms of the Treaty of Utrecht. Within a year or two, Jews again resettled in Gibraltar, principally from Tetuan, and by 1754, formed one third of the total population. The present Jewish population, almost exclusively Sephardic, numbering some 600 persons, maintains a vibrant community, with four active synagogues, Jewish schools and kosher restaurants.

Search the Gibraltar Records (Note: This is to contact JCR-UK, not the above Community) Terms and Conditions, Licenses and Restrictions for the use of this website: This website is owned by JewishGen and the Jewish Genealogical Society of Great Britain. All material found herein is owned by or licensed to us. You may view, download, and print material from this site only for your own personal use. You may not post material from this site on another website without our consent. You may not transmit or distribute material from this website to others. You may not use this website or information found at this site for any commercial purpose. Copyright © 2002 - 2017 JCR-UK. All Rights Reserved

Question: Gibraltar was ceded to Britain under the terms of which treaty?
Answer: TREATY OF UTRECHT